Safe?
…for a half of humankind that lives in fear
I kept you safe, every moment,
For the nine months you lived in me.
Safe, protected, free from fear,
But for Me, humankind would perish.
Yet I stand begging today, for safety,
Fear gnaws every step I take,
On the roads, at my work,
I am not safe anywhere,
From my own kind I helped create,
And brought to this world!
Do you ever hear my voice?
See yourself in my place?
What it takes to feel threat and fear,
In everything I do, every step I take,
The place I gave my sweat and blood,
What was to be my emancipation,
You made me feel threatened there.
There I lie today, mutilated, and savaged,
Punishments for offending your order,
For questioning your dictates,
For even while I created you,
You believe you own me.
As protests continue in India (and the world) demanding justice for the horrifying murder and rape of a doctor at Kolkata’s R G Kar Hospital, the question of the safety of women in general, and especially at their workplaces is at the forefront. Why does half of humankind feel unsafe amidst its own kind? Questions and more questions brought forth this poem…